The Mines of Zerus
by Argos5
Summary: The Protoss watch once more on the Terrans after the fall of Aiur to witness another folly...
1. Default Chapter Title

The Mines of Zerus (Net Version) Prologue- Shadows of War

A few weeks after the fall of Auir, Emperor Mengsk and his General Duke have traced the origins of the Zerg to a distant planet of Zerus. Many plans have been made, identifying the planet to be very mineral-rich, more minerals that the Kel-Morian Combine. Upon the Protoss Outpost of Pandora only a few parsecs from Zerus, Argos and his brethren of other Protoss have setup a small base to monitor the foolish attempts of the Terran Empire to harvest on the Zerg Homeworld. They recieved news late and the fall of their homeworld was mourned months after its fall. The Zerg have been a difficult race to deal with, with the Overmind believed to be dead and Kerrigan as their new Queen of Blades, it was going to be hard for the Protoss to survive. "Templar Argos," a Protoss Zealot tapped on the loosely-armored and young templar's only shoulder-plate, "Message from Artanis on the Dark Templar Homeworld." Argos was handed a electronic datapad as he stared through the window within the Templar Archives on Pandora, gingerly placing the datapad in his leg-armor's pocket, he knew there was time to view it later. He sorely missed his homeworld's beauty, similar to Pandoras but this world was more alien and had more vibrant colors in the skies. Emperor Mengsk dispatched four colony-ships from the various factions of the Empire, one from the Umojan Protectorate, one from the Empire itself, and two from the Kel-Morian Combine. They were to arrive at Zerus in 10 days and there was plenty of time to slack-off on the ship. There were saloons, market-places, and of-course, living quarters within the colony-ships to keep the colonists and miners from getting bored and reckless. The yellow sun began its descent below the horizon, the skies filled with purple, red, green, and aqua, reflecting it upon the oceans nearby the base. Argos walked through the pathway from the Templar Archives to the Nexus, reading the reports sent by Artanis at the new home of all the Protoss, Shakuras, the Dark Templar homeworld. The report was bad, the Zerg have entered the Gateway before the survivors of Aiur have and the Dark Templar are doing what they could to fend them off. It has been some time since Argos was with his long and best friend Artanis, although it was not relavent to the tasks at hand, friendship is what helped bond plans for warfare sometimes and Argos put it to good use. Decades ago, Argos recieved the highest of awards and recognitions for his studies in the various Protoss knowledges and became a High Templar even before Artanis became Praetor of Defense. They both were opposites, Argos of Knowledge, Artanis of Battle, two opposites that if joined forces would be a force to be reckoned with. Just as Argos was finished reading the report, a Psionic Message swept across the entire base, startling everyone. "Prepare yourselves! The Zerg are sighted and are coming towards us!" Argos raised his index-fingers and touched them to the sides of his head, focusing the psionic-energy to give him sight-beyond-normal sight. His eyes glowed a light green as his vision shifted from the base to view the incoming Zerg. The Photon Cannons were situated all about the base, and the Zerg were thundering through the desert opposite the ocean and the base itself. Viewing the small yet fierce horde of creatures, Argos concluded that this was more of a warning-swarm, a warning that the Zerg were on Pandora. The Terran Wraith Fighters of the newly formed Lambda Squadron surrounded the Colony Ships as they approached the borders of the Empire. THeir mission was to guard the ships for a successful trip to Zerus, little did they know of the perils they faces, believing they were the best and the highest paid for doing this job, they were blind to acknowledge the territory they were bound to enter.


	2. Default Chapter Title

The Mines of Zerus (Net Version) Chapter 1- The Zerg Swarms

The Photon Cannons rose up and gathered their energies, and as the first wave of the dog-sized Zerglings came upon them, their energies were unleashed to wreak havoc upon the swarms. Zealots armed with their new Psi-Lances charges at the Zerglings and Hydralisks that made their way through the defenses without a scratch. Argos ran towards the Protoss Lancers with a cylinder-type device strapped to his left fore-arm, "We do this for Aiur!," he yelled to the others for encouragement to fight with dignity and rage for their fallen homeworld. The young High Templar's eyes flashed a red glare as a blueish blade of psionic particles extended forth from the cylinder. With agility and strength, Argos charged to the front of the Lancers, using his single Psi-Blade to cut through the mindless creatures known as the Zerg. Ground tremors and large spikes shooting through the ground at them made the Protoss aware of a new foe, few of the Lancers were hit by the underground spikes, sending them flying back against the steel wall then evaporating as the impact of the spikes against the surface tore the now non- existent Protoss in half before evaporating to the higher-planes of existence. Argos dodged another of the spikes that were aimed towards him and jumped for the Photon Cannons. His safety would be in their detecting-range where they could identify the source of these spikes. The zerglings and most of the Zerg swarm were now pools of ooze and decaying corpses. only this new species of creatures were their problem. The remaining few Lancers desperately ran for higher-ground as even more of the underground spikes shot forth, taking some of them down. As sudden as the spikes shot, four giant mounds of dirt lifted from the ground. Argos accessed the Photon Cannon's Computer Panel to identify these mounds. Before it could get a complete reading on the mounds, the Photon Needles lifted high up and a concentrated sphere of photonic energy was let loose upon the mounds of dirt. Not impacting them, but coursing through them and chaining the energy with the other mounds of dirt. An inhuman roar caused Argos to back away from the Cannon's console and turn to the spectacle before him. Four large forms lifted from the mounds, looking like a cross between a spider and a Hydralisk, Argos didn't know what to make of them, but knowing they were Zerg and the Cannons were recharging Argos charged at the nearest Zerg creature with his Psi-Blade blazing. The Lancers were quick to join as their enemy was revealed, their Lances puncturing the pacified creatures. One of the Lancers called Argos over, who had just slayed a second of the beasts. The valiant young Templar moved towards the group of Lancers who were surrounding one of the beasts, keeping it at bay with their lances. The Colong Vessels were in space for 4 days and counting, no signs of opposition anywhere and the Lambda Squad were quick to scout and defend the group. "So Neil," one of the pilots said, "I hear you have the hots for one of the female Ghost Agents." THe Wraith Pilot known as Neil, a half-asian and half-causcasian male, smiled and responded through the comm-unit, "Its none of your business Daryl, stick to the mission and you won't be bleeding when we take our breaks." The other 9 squad-members laughed and Neil could either hear them or see them laughing through the glass-cover of the Wraith Fighter. Neil waved off their humor of his love for a certain Ghost Agent he met at Korhal days ago. They had gotten to know each other very well and promised they would see each other again sometime. They both had different missions, Neil's was to accomplish this one, and hers was to do a spy operation on the Umojan Protectorate. SUddenly, multiple lights began to blink on the radar, signaling a large force ahead of them. Neil yelled into the comm-unit, "Get your pansy asses straight, we've got company!"


	3. Default Chapter Title

The Mines of Zerus (Net Version) Chapter 2- Encounter

The mass of Mutalisk creatures came at them from under the cover of a new creature, a creature a bit smaller than the Mutalisks but deadlier nonetheless. Hydralisks that had mutalisk wings attacked Neil first. His lasers couldn't pin-point their exact positions as they evaded the direct sight of the ships, Neil went ahead with the Gemini Missiles and made the winged-Hydralisks scatter. Daryl and the others made chase after the Mutalisks that went after the Colony Ships. Twelve of the Zerg released their Glave Wyrms upon the hulls of the Colony Ships, melting through it and causing havoc within. One of the Colony Ships was utterly destroyed, leaving the few others in chaos as their pilots tried to keep things stable. Neil banked towards the first few winged-Hydralisks heading towards one of the Colony Ships, "Damnit people, we're outnumbered." Neil's Wraith fired its lasers at one of the straight-moving winged-Hydralisks, only 4 bolts were fired and it ripped through the Zerg and another of them that flew into the laser bolt got blown to pieces. Across the battle, Daryl held on for dear life as a Mutalisk trailed him. "Oh shit, this Mutalisk is hard on my tail, I can't shake 'em," Daryl yelled into the Intercom. Just then, another set of bat-like wings spread from behind the Mutalisk's first set of wings. "Oh shit," Daryl said worrily, "Neil, these Zerg we're facing isn't normal... I say we break off right now and forget the Colony Ships, it ain't wo-" An explosion occurred off Neil's aft-side as Daryl's Comm-line went dead. A 4 winged-Mutalisk burst through the explosion and carried on to the others. Panicking, Neil let loose dozens of Gemini Missiles that struck and destroyed most of the Hydralisks and those around it. A tight feeling in Neil's chest overcame him, causing him to take off his Oxygen-mask. His vision blurred as his Wraith started to dart perilously to the Colony Ship, not even noticeing the 4 winged-Mutalisk trailing behind him. Yet just before the Mutalisk was about to fire, a ball of plasmic energy impacted it causing it to explode. As Neil looked up from his cockpit to see a Protoss Arbiter with some Blue Stripes on its wings firing its weapons at the Zerg all around. As the Arbiter passed by, Neil pulled the joystick hard towards him as if some unknown force put it in his mind to do so. As the Arbiter left the battlefield, heading off towards the direction of Zerus, dozens of smaller aircraft decloaked around them, tearing through the Zerg Swarms in a blaze of quick firing. The Wraith Pilots cheered through the Intercoms as they recognized the ships to be Protoss Intercepters and their Carriers which slowly began to decloak as well. One of the larger Carrier vessels of the Protoss contacted Neil, "We are of the Expeditionary force to the planet Pandora... your encounter with the new strain of Zerg prove that we both are deep in Zerg territory where is your destination Neil?" "You should already know that Protoss, seeing that you know my name... you must have already looked into my mind." The Protoss laughed, "Yes, you head for Zerus... I should warn you of the dire consequences of going there, but I'm not going to stop you... farewell..." The Psionic link ended and the Carriers and the entire Protoss fleet left east of the Terran Expedition's current course. The squadron reassembled and landed in the docking bays of the remaining Colony Ships for repair... they would be defenseless for awhile, but they already lost a few pilots and one of the Colony Ships. Neil sent out a distress signal for Korhal intended to get reinforcements of the impending Zerg opposition along the way. 


End file.
